NCJ Number
182450
Date Published
1997
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This paper discusses community strategies for dealing with alcohol, drug and related crime problems.
Abstract
The article cites the “broken windows” hypothesis as a starting point for communities to deal with alcohol and other drug problems. Just as leaving a broken window in a building unrepaired leads to other broken windows, so will unattended public incivility lead to more serious disorder. If a community creates some agreed-upon standards, people will enforce them. These standards might include criminalizing public drunkenness and making treatment compulsory for chronic drunks and cleaning up garbage-strewn lots that offer dealers a place to hide their drugs and drunks a place to call home. Four basic approaches to altering the physical environment to make a location more resistant to crime include: (1) designing and arranging buildings to reduce the availability of crime targets; (2) limiting pedestrian and vehicle traffic along walkways, paths and streets into buildings and housing complexes; (3) cleaning up and beautifying buildings and their surroundings to foster an image of community involvement; and (4) removing or repairing physical deterioration to mitigate signs of disorder. The article also discusses the role of community policing in crime prevention efforts; policymakers’ contributions and additional opportunities for community involvement.